Brazil’s new President Jair Bolsonaro to take office

Rio de Janeiro, Jan 1 (IANS) Far-right congressman Jair Bolsonaro will be sworn in as Brazil’s new President on Tuesday, the media reported.

A former army Captain, the 63-year-old Bolsonaro won the presidential election by a wide margin against Fernando Haddad of the left-wing Workers’ Party on October 28, 2018, the BBC reported.

He was propelled to victory by his campaign promises to curb Brazil’s rampant corruption and crime. But he has proven a deeply divisive figure whose racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks have angered many.

Despite portraying himself as a political outsider during his campaign, Bolsonaro served seven terms in Brazil’s lower house of Congress, the Chamber of Deputies, before being elected President.

He has been a member of several political parties but is currently in the Social Liberal Party (PSL).